Against the Odds
by KristosLilly
Summary: Jo and Alex, against the odds. Yeah... pretty much just what the title implies. Enjoy, Jolex fans.


**Against the Odds**

 _ **A Jolex fic. Set sometime in Season 12. For the purposes of this story, Jo is not pregnant.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Jo Wilson wasn't an easy one to surprise – she was far too perceptive for her own good – but Alex Karev was determined to try to catch her unawares anyway. However, to be able to accomplish what he had planned, he'd needed to call in reinforcements.

"This is so exciting, Alex," Meredith Grey said with a cheesy smile. "I can't believe you're doing this! I am so happy for you." She pulled him into a bone-crushing hug and he struggled against it before slipping his arms around her tiny waist and giving in to the embrace.

"Okay. I get it. You're happy and shiny and whatever," Alex said, finally managing to extract himself from Meredith's grasp. "But the thing is, can you do this?"

"Do you doubt me?"

Alex shrugged. "I am just … Look, for her, I want everything to be like storybook unicorns and rainbows fucking perfect. She deserves it."

Meredith nodded. "She does. And so do you. You found your person, Alex."

"I thought you were my person."

"Well, _maybe_ you can have more than one," Meredith allowed. "Now when do we begin our ruse?"

"Ruse? Meredith, come on. Stop being cheesy."

"Fine, buzz kill, but I _am_ happy for you. I just want to make that clear."

Alex smiled. "Thanks. That means a lot." He looked at his watch. "Okay. Jo's going to be here in less than five minutes."

"It's show time," Meredith said. "I'll be somewhere nearby waiting for my cue."

"Thanks, Mer," Alex said.

"Anytime, Karev." Alex watched Meredith walk out of the lounge and he moved to his locker. Opening the door, he started to gather up his stuff.

He was about to slam the locker door when he felt two slender arms encircle his waist. Jo pressed her head to his back, hugging him. "Hey," she said.

"Hey," he said. "Long day?" He had heard the fatigue in her voice.

"Yeah, Bailey is running the residents ragged and one of the baby ducks is always under foot."

"Let me guess. The albino one right?"

Jo hit him in the shoulder. "Cross is _not_ an albino, Alex."

"Could have fooled me with that pasty skin and Draco Malfoy hair."

"Awww a Harry Potter reference. I've taught you well." Jo chuckled, hugging him still tighter as Alex slowly circled around to face her.

"He's hot for you, you know."

"Ohmigod, not even."

"Yes, yes it's obvious, Jo. Every time I see you two together, he's got this dopey, love struck teenager look on his face."

"I think that's just who he is," Jo said. She studied Alex's expression. "Wait a minute."

"What?"

"Are you jealous of a baby duck?"

Alex scoffed. "That will be the day, Wilson."

"Okay, just checking," Jo said. "Anyway let me grab my stuff and we can go."

Alex tugged at the collar of his jacket. "Yeah, okay." _Where the hell was Meredith?_

Jo moved away from him and over to her locker, beginning to spin the numbers on the lock. She had just popped open the door when Meredith came skidding into the lounge. Alex breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"Dr. Wilson," Meredith addressed Jo.

Jo turned around. "Yes?"

"I need you for a consult. We've got a patient here complaining of head pain and slurring his words."

"W-what?" Jo said. "But I'm off-duty as of five minutes ago."

"Wilson, the hospital needs you. This patient needs you. You can either put on your big girl panties and come with me or don't bother coming in tomorrow."

Alex arched an eyebrow. Was it possible that he had created a monster when he asked Meredith to help him with this?

Jo stared at Meredith in shock. She sighed. "No one else can do it?"

"We're all backed up, Wilson. Come along," Meredith said.

"Alright," Jo said with a quiet groan. She slammed her locker door shut and turned to look at Alex. "I guess I'll see you at home."

Alex tried to suppress a smile. Things were going well – better than he had dared hope. He was almost home free. Meredith would keep Jo busy for an hour which was just enough time for him to do what he needed to do.

"Sorry, Jo," Alex said with a shrug. "But you know now that Mer's Bailey's right hand man, you have to do what she says."

"Yes, yes you do," Meredith said. "Come on already, Jo."

Jo sighed and giving Alex a quick buss on the cheek, she walked out. Meredith gave Alex a covert "everything's A-OK" smile and then the two women were gone.

Alex grinned in spite of himself. So far, tonight was going off without a hitch.

Thank the damn lord.

XoXoXo

Alex made it across town in record time. The regular suspects that hung around the building were not-so-covertly passing little bags of coke back and forth and a homeless man slept in the doorway. Alex started to step over him and then thought better of it. He pulled out his wallet and stuck a five dollar bill in his hand, curling the man's fingers around it. Alex was flying high; why not share some of that good feeling?

 _God, when had he turned into such a freaking sap?_

Jo. He blamed Jo for this. She made him want to be a better man. Damn that beautiful, complicated woman.

Alex carefully climbed over the homeless man this time and hurried into the building. He reached the loft in no time and slipped inside. Flipping on all the lights, he got to work.

XoxoXo

Meredith had been smiling goofily at Jo for an hour and it was really creeping her out. When she finally got to leave, she practically ran out of the hospital. But not before Meredith cryptically wished for Jo to break a leg.

 _Whatever._

Jo made her way to her jalopy of a car and hopped inside. She threw her purse on to the seat and slipping the keys into the ignition, gunned the engine. She carefully pulled out into the busy street and started in the direction of the loft. Her home. Her and _Alex's_ home.

She smiled.

XoXoXo

Alex had finished everything. The candles were lit, the food was set out, and the roses were in the vase tickling his nostrils with their quietly powerful scent.

All that was missing was Jo.

He looked at his watch again. Jo should have been home twenty minutes ago. He had asked Meredith to keep her for an hour and no longer. What was going on?

Five minutes later found Alex wearing grooves in the floor as he paced. When he realized he couldn't wait another minute, he grabbed for his cell phone and pressed number one on his speed dial.

It rang and rang and finally Jo's voicemail kicked on. He listened to her simple greeting and then left a message.

"Hey, what's up? I thought you would have been back by now. Call me okay? Let me know what's going on."

He hung up the phone and started pacing anew as the minutes ticked by. Another five minutes passed and he dove for his phone again, dialing Meredith's number this time. All of a sudden he had the most unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was sweating and feeling grouchy and … Worried. Yes, worried. There was likely a simple explanation for Jo being held up. He needed to not go right to the worst-case scenario.

Meredith answered after two rings. "Karev?"

"Yeah," Alex replied. "I thought I told you to send Jo home after an hour? It's been almost two and –"

Meredith interrupted him. "Slow down, Alex. I sent her home awhile ago."

Alex scratched his stubbled cheek. "She should have been here by now, Meredith. Where the hell is my girlfriend?"

XoXoXo

Meredith heard the worry in Alex's voice though he would deny it she confronted him about it. He thought something might have happened to Jo on the way home. Meredith's heart went out to her best friend.

"Alex, I'm sure she's fine."

"Why isn't she answering her phone then?" Alex said in a crusty tone of voice.

"I don't know. There could be a million and one reasons. Oh! Maybe she stopped to pick up dinner for you two."

"Yeah, maybe," Alex grumbled, sounding unconvinced.

"Grey, get off the damn phone!" Bailey called to Meredith. "The switchboard operator just informed us that the paramedics are bringing someone in and yet you're standing around gossiping."

"I'm not gossiping," Meredith protested. She sighed. "Karev, I have to go. The Nazi cometh. Keep in touch. Let me know when Jo gets home. And she is coming home to you. She always will."

Meredith hung up the phone, pocketing it, just as the ER doors crashed open. Two male paramedics were pushing someone in on a stretcher. Blood was matted in their hair and from her vantage point; Meredith could see that the person's skin was mottled and gray.

"What do we have here?" Meredith asked breaking into a run with Bailey, Callie and Stephanie at her side.

"Female accident victim, approximately thirty years in age. BP 70 over 40. She's sustained multiple lacerations and suspected head trauma. She's unconscious and her pupils are pin-point and they are non-reactive."

Callie reached the stretcher first and her eyes went incredibly wide. "Oh my god…"

"What is it?" Miranda asked. She and Meredith reached the woman at the same time. Meredith's gut shifted.

"Oh shit. It's Jo."

XoXoXo

Alex had stopped pacing by now and was preparing to go out and look for Jo himself. One man search party; that was him.

He started to set down the ring box on the table but somehow thought better of it. He pocketed the small velvet box and hurried out the door.

 **To be continued.**

 **I know that I just started another Jolex fic but this one in particular has been begging me to write it for weeks so now I am. Hope you liked it so far. More coming soon and more of my other fic coming soon as well. Thank for reading. Feedback is appreciated.**


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